National Republican., 1887-07-16

eTHE Providence Journal OF July Is gives
the result OF a years experiment In the
state Of Rhode Island with prohibition, as
follows:
Whatever may be the cause or causes II eau
not be denied that prohibition in Rhode Isl
and, aftera years experience, is found to be so
complete failure that 1t Is no extravaganza to
pronounce 1t a miserable farce. II is not, even
approximately, prohibiting the use of intoxicat
ing LIQUOR; 1t Is not to-day resulting in any per-
ceptible diminution Il drunkenness as com
pared with former years. II is true that, TAX
ing the state as q whole the number OF arrests
for drunkenness and kindred oticnses has been
somewhat smaller during the first twelve
months of prohibition than during the last
twelve of license, but no broad inference can
be drawn from that fact as TO what the law is
doing or is hereafter TO do. During the first
few months after the law went into effect un-
certainty and fear closed many barFooms; the
result was promptly seen in the police records
and materially diminishes the years arrests.
But now that sellers have taken courage from
experience the case Is far different. Drunken
ness fell off considerably last summer, but
since then II has been increasing
throughout the state. In Providence,
for example, the arrests for drunkenness during
the first three mouths of prohibition were
about 80 per cent. less than during the corre-
spending period under license. But now they
nre only about % per cent. less and the daily
average is fast rising to that Of former Years.
In Pawtucket, also the present proportion OF
drukenness toall criminal oiIenses is actually
greater than 1t was under the license law. In
Lincoln, measured by the arrests, the use Of
intoxicating liquor has increased fivefold In
twelve months while In Newport, where per-
haps prohibition came nearer being success
than IN any other populous part OF the state.
drunkenness has not only alarmingly increased
of late, but tho proportion of Offenses growing
out of liquor drinking to the total number OF
all arrests is actually per cent. greater than
1t was O year ago under the license law.
similar condition is found throughout the
state except in those few towns where liquor
selling was never common, The use Of intOx
icants is as extensive now as It ever was Pro-
hbition at the present time is doing nothing
to raise the moral tone of the community.
Yet despite the well known fact that dealing
in the forbidden article is carried on freely, al!
attempts to stop 1t have gradually been given
| up. There is no evidence in the reports fro II
any town that the chief of state police is or has
| been of the slightest assistance IN the enforc
ment of the law, and the prosecutions made BY
| local officers could almost be counted on the
| fingers of one hand. The seeming impos''-
| bility of securing convictions has evidently
discouraged the city ana town officials, an
the spasmodic attempts at enforcement which
were seen last summer and fall have now ali
over the state given place 10 inaction. The
result IL. of course, that the liquor business
freed from all regulation or molestatiou, ha'
grown steadily during the year, aud to- lay
there are known to be in the city of Provi
dence alone at least thirty-nine more places
where liquor is sold under some arrangement
than there were licensed saloons under the old
law. A similar increase in drinking places /!
found in Johnston, Warwick, and elsewhere
and in general 1t may be safely said of tn,
whole. state that there are at least as mGuy
liquor dealers doing business to-day as ther,
| were under the license system.